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Illinois Atttorney General Lisa Madigan has filed a motion with the state Supreme Court to get Gov. Blagojevich removed from office.

The Illinois attorney general filed a motion with the state's highest court Friday asking justices to strip the scandal-plagued Gov. Rod Blagojevich of his powers.

"I think the people of the state would be best served if Gov. Blagojevich would resign immediately, " Madigan said. "We are facing an extraordinary situation. We want to make sure this state has a governor that can act legitimately."

Lisa Madigan took the action Friday as pressure on the governor intensified to step down. Her motion included a request for a temporary restraining order, which could remove the governor from his job immediately. She also said the motion would not interfere with impeachment procedings, which the Legislature is expected to take up in a special session starting Monday.

Madigan: We Hope Court Moves With Speed

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan asks the state Supreme Court to move quickly, and explains the motion she filed asking that Blago be removed from power. (Published Friday, Dec. 12, 2008)

"I have spoken to all of the legislatvie leaders in the past few days and indicated to them that they should move forward with impeachment proceedings. " said the attorney general.

Meanwhile, Blagojevich's Chief of Staff, John Harris, resigned Friday morning, according to "sources close to the matter." Harris was arrested Tuesday morning just hours before federal agents took the governor from his home in handcuffs.

AG: Supreme Court Should Remove Governor

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announces that she is filing a brief with the state Supreme Court, asking that Gov. Rod Blagojevich be declared "unable to serve." (Published Friday, Dec. 12, 2008)

The moves came as the governor prayed with several ministers in his home before heading to his office, telling them he is innocent and will be vindicated "when you hear each chapter completely written," according to one of the pastors.

The attorney general asked the court for the temporary restraining order or an injunction that to prevent Blagojevich from serving as governor. The filing says he is "unable to serve as governor due to disability and should not rightfully continue to hold that office."

"The pervasive nature and severity of these pending charges disable Mr. Blagojevich from making effective decisions on critical, time-sensitive issues," the filing said.

The filing asks that the lieutenant governor assume Blagojevich's powers.

Blagojevich Busted

"The State of Illinois is in a crisis. Any and all measures available to remove the Governor must be pursued as fast as practically possible," said Jay Stewart of the Better Government Association in support of Madigan's move. "The Attorney General’s bold action should not be used as an excuse by anyone in the General Assembly to hold back on impeachment proceedings."

It is the first time in Illinois history that such an action was taken. The attorney general is applying a rule that was intended to cover cases where a governor is incapacitated for health reasons.

Her motion indicates that his inability to serve because of the scandal is akin to a debilitating health issue.

The motion essentially declares that Blagojevich's legal problems amount to a disability that would not be resolved until he is either cleared of the charges or leaves office.

"Mr. Blagojevich is unable to distinguish between his financial interests and his official duties and between illegal acts and legal conduct, rendering him incapable of legitimately exercising his ability as governor," Madigan says in the motion.

"His ability to provide effective leadership has been eliminated and the state government is paralyzed."

The motion came three days after Blagojevich was accused of putting Barack Obama's Senate seat up for sale and shaking down the owners of the Chicago Tribune.

The governor has been alternately holed up in his home or his downtown office since his arrest on federal corruption charges. He met with clergymen Friday morning.

The Rev. Ira Acree of the Greater St. John Bible Church said Blagojevich would not discuss details of the allegations against him.

He said the governor discussed trying to get a legal and political consultation team in place, but feels as if everything is closing in on him and that he's not getting "any space or chance to sort anything out."

Acree and two other pastors -- The Rev. Steve Jones, president of the Baptist Pastor's Conference, and the Rev. Marshall Hatch of the New Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church -- arrived at the governor's home shortly after 8 a.m. and met with him for about 20 minutes.

Jones said they prayed with Blagojevich and his family.

"I look at it like this: Everybody that's hurting needs hope and the family needs hope and that's what our jobs are as pastors," Jones said. "Nobody should be left hopeless. Nobody, no matter what the circumstances."

Shortly after they left, a fourth minister, the Rev. Leonard Barr of Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, arrived at the governor's house with his wife, Rita.

He said they were invited by the governor and that the two "prayed that he would continue to be a great governor for the state of Illinois."

Meanwhile, calls for the governor to step down are intensifying.

The lieutenant governor has joined a bevy of lawmakers in demanding that Blagojevich be impeached, saying he has become an embarrassment to the state and can no longer lead. His approval rating plummeted to a shockingly low 8 percent.

"When you have no confidence from the people, in a democracy there's nowhere else to go but to resign," Lt. Pat Quinn said Thursday.